Automatic mail-bag catcher and deliverer.



A. BROUSSARD.

AUTOMATIC MAIL BAG GATGHER AND DBLIVERBR.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 3, 1913.

1,071,391, Patented Aug.26,1913.

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A. BROUSSARD.

AUTOMATIC MAIL BAG OATGHER AND DELIVERER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1913.

1,071,391 Patented Aug.26,1913.

v 8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 60.. VASHINUTON. D. c.

A. BROUSSARD. AUTOMATIC MAIL BAf OATGHER AND DELIVERER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3, 1913. 1 071 391 Patented Aug.26, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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UNITED STATES PATENT ormcn.

ALCIIBIADES BROUSSARD, OF YOUNGSVILLE, LOUISIANA.

AUTOMATIC MAIL-BAG- CATGHER AND DELIVERER.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALCIBIADES BROUSSARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Youngsville, in the parish of Lafayette and State of Louisiana, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Mail- Bag Catchers and Deliverers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved automatic mail bag catcher and deliverer in the use of which any number of mail sacks may be simultaneously picked up by and delivered from a moving train.

The main object of the present invention is the provision of a train-carried apparatus, the delivery mechanism of which is designed to support a basket containing any desired number of mail sacks and to automatically deliver said basket to a pick-up device carried by the train, the pick-up device of the train-carried apparatus being constructed simultaneously with the delivery to pick up a similar pack-carrying basket from the delivery apparatus of a train.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a train-carried apparatus designed for travel transverse the car so as to permit its being positioned beyond the side of the car for operation and withdrawn into the body of the car for removal of the pick-up sacks and charge of the sacks to be delivered.

A further object of the invention is the provision of spring shock absorbers in the pickup mechanism and in the basket designed to contain the sacks whereby the shock incident to the pickup during the travel of the train is absorbed and not transmitted to the main body of the device.

WVith these and other objects in view as will appear from the following detail de scription the invention consists in the combination of parts and the specific arrangement of details which will be described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the train-carried apparatus showing the same in inoperative or withdrawn position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the apparatus in projected or mail-delivery position, illustrating particularly the relative disposition of the parts with respect to the side of the car. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the rod car- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed January 3, 1913.

Patented Aug. 26,1913. Serial No. 740,021.'

rying the pick-up and delivery mechanism, the relative position of the various shock absorbing means being shown. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the car-carried apparatus.

Fig. 5 is a plan View showing the relative disposition of the pick-up and delivery devices. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the station crane or stationary pick-up and delivery device. Fig. 7 is a broken perspective view illustrating the position of the station crane immediately succeeding the delivery of mail thereto from passing trains. Fig. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the position of the pick-up device of the station crane immediately following the delivery of mail thereto. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of basket.

Referring particularly to the drawings, and to those figures showing the traincarried device, the said apparatus comprises a tubular main rod 1 which at its lower end is provided with a caster socket 2 carrying a caster roller 3 and at its upper end with a casting 4 forming a head which is formed with a transverse opening 5 with a channel or groove 6 in its upper surface arranged at right angles to the opening for a purpose which will presently appear. The main rod is secured to the head 4 by threading said rod in an inwardly threaded opening formed in the lower end of the head, a key 7 fitting in a recess in the head and in the end of the rod serving to lock the parts in applied positions.

Slidably mounted upon the main rod 1 is a guide sleeve 8, said sleeve loosely fitting the 'rod and being held against other than sliding movement thereon through the cooperation of a slotted-way 9 formed in the sleeve and a rib 10 extending longitudinally of the main rod. On the main rod is formed a series of notches or teeth 11 extending longitudinally of the rod and the sleeve 8 carries a spring-pressed dog 12 provided at one end 13 to cooperate with the. teeth and at the opposite end with a handle whereby the dog and teeth may be caused to engage and secure the sleeve at any desired point of elevation on the rod. A spring 14 carried by and preferably formed integral with the dog serves to normally hold the dog in tooth engaging position. A pulley 15 is secured to the head 4 and a suitable length of rope or other flexible connection 16 is secured at one terminal to the head 8 and passed over the pulley, terminating in a handle 17 whereby the sleeve and connected parts may be elevated when desired. Secured to the sleeve 8 in about centrally the length thereof is a support 18 including a sleeve member 19 so arranged on the support as to be disposed in parallelism with the sleeve 8. The connection between the support and sleeve is preferably made through a band 20 projecting from the support and encircling the sleeve, said band and sleeve proper being provided with handles 21 whereby this portion of the apparatus may be operated in a convenient manner.

Fixed in the sleeve 19 of the support 18 is the pick-up and delivery members, which include a rod 22 extending through the sleeve 19 and secured therein by pins or other fastenings 23. On the lower end of the rod 22 is arranged the delivery device. This includes an arm 24 projecting at right angles to the rod 22 from the lower end of the latter, theconnection being preferably made through the medium of a sleeve 25 secured on or forming part of the lower end of the rod 22 and disposed at right angles to said rod, this sleeve receiving the inner end of the arm 24., and permitting the securing of said arm against independent movement by screws or pins 26. The outer end of the arm 24 is provided with a forwardly projecting finger 28 and an upwardly projecting finger 29, the former extending at right angles to the main length of the arm 24 and in the same plane therewith while the latter extends at right angles to the finger 28 at right angles to it and to the arm 24 and in parallelism with the rod 22. The upper end of the finger 29 is provided with a spring strip 30 secured thereto, the forward or free end of which rests normally in contact with the free end of the finger 28. This arrangement provides an approximately triangular holding element in which the bag carrying basket may be manually arranged for pick-up operation as will later appear. The upper end of the rod 22 is reduced to receive one end of a connector 31 in the form of a four-way tubular connection, the vertical section of which is fitted upon the reduced portion of the rod and held against other than a rotary movement by a stop block 32 secured upon the end of the rod. The horizontal member of the connector has one of its arms as 33 of greater length than the other, and in the shorter arm is mounted a rod 34, carrying at its free end the pick-up device. This pick-up device includes a ring-shaped member 35 having its terminals bent to provide divergent guides 36, from the free ends of which extend spring holding strips 37. The guides 36 are widely divergent at their free ends and the spring strips 37 while coincident with the free ends of the guides converge toward the ring member 35 in a greater degree than the convergence of the guides, so that the free ends of the strips 37 present a restricted opening or entrance to the ring member 35.

To insure the return of the pick-up device to the normal position after the pickup operation I provide a spring 38 coiled about the rod 22 and having one terminal secured to the connector 31 and the other terminal to the rods. By this means the Dick-up device will after operation be main taincd to normal position as any movement of said pick-up device will tension the spring in an obvious manner.

To prevent an unnecessary degree of rotation or swing of the pick-up device under the influence of the impact in the pick-up operation I secure upon the rod 22 a spring stop 39 which is of sinuous form in plan with its free terminal above the plane of the pick-up device and in the path of the extended arm of the connector as the latter is swung about the rod 22. By this construction an undue swinging movement of the pick-up device will cause the arm 33 of the connector to engage the spring 39 and under the tension exerted by the latter from such contact said pick-up device will be maintained to normal position and be held in such position by the spring 38.

The car-carried apparatus is mounted for sliding movement in the car, for which purpose is provided an upright 40 secured to the floor and roof of the carfrom which at the lower end projects a track rail 41 to the edge of the door opening 42 on which track rail the caster roller 3 is designed to slide. A guide rail 43 is secured to the upright 40 at one end and at the opposite end to a hanger.44 depending from the body of the car and from which guide rail the head 4 is slidably mounted, said rail passing .through the opening 5;

The station crane is of somewhat similar construction in part at least to the train carried apparatus and in the form illustrated comprises a post 45 secured in the ground at the appropriate point and having a reduced line extension 46. The main post 47 is slidablymounted upon the reduced extension 46, and said post is at an appropriate point in its height provided with a lateral extension 48 on which is secured a sleeve section 49 of the supporting rod 5 of the pick-up and delivery mechanism of the station crane. The parts are so arranged that the rod 50 extends in parallelism with the post 47, and the various connections described may be made in any appropriate design having the requisite strength. Secured upon the upper end of the main rod 50 is the delivery element of the train including an arm 51 fixed in and extending at right angles to the rod 50 and carrying at its free end a finger 52 projecting at right angles to and in the same horizontal plane as the arm 51, a second finger 53 arranged at the inner end of the finger 52 and projecting at right angles to the latter and upwardly and the spring strip 54 secured to the upper or free end of the finger 52 and resting against the finger 52 adjacent the free end of the latter. The delivery device of the crane apparatus is thus practically identical with the delivery device of the train carried apparatus.

Mounted upon the lower end of the rod 50 is the pick-up device of the station crane including anarm 55 rotatably mounted on the rod 50 and held against endwise movement thereon, said arm 55 having a projection 56 extending in alinement therewith on the opposite side of the rod 50. The pick-up element includes a ring-shaped member 57 integral with the free ends of the arm 55, the terminals of the ring-shaped member being formed to provide divergent guides 58 having inwardly convergent spring strips 59 secured to the free ends of said guides. The pick-up device of the station crane is practically identical with the pick-up device of the train-delivery apparatus, and in both instances the inner or receiving surface of the ring-shaped members 35 and 57 of the respective devices are provided with spring sectors 60 which form in effect spring receiving members against which the ring of the carrier is received in the initial pick-up operation, thereby tending to avoid transmission of a portion at least of the shock incident to such impact.

It being desirable to automatically lock the projecting portions of the station crane after the pickup operation in a position to avoid possible interference with the moving train or with projections therefrom I secure upon the main post 47 near its inner end a spring rod 61 which as the post is rotated upon the influence of the impact in the take-up will pass beyond and engage the post 62 fixed at an appropriate point adjacent the main post so that the main post with its connected parts will be held out of its normal position and wholly free of possible interference with projections from the train. To insure the return of the main post upon release of the holding means described and to in a measure cushion the shock of the pick-up at this point I provide a spring 63 coiled about the main post with its terminal secured to the fixed post 45 and to the main post 47. The pick-up device of the station crane is also cushioned in a manner similar to that described for the pick-up device for the train carried apparatus, there being provided for this purpose a spring 64 coiled about the rod 50 and terminally connected to said rod and rotating member of the pickup device, and a spring strip 65 secured to the rod 50 with its free terminal in the path of the projecting portion 56 of the arm 55 in the rotation of the pick-up device under the influence of the pick-up impact.

For supporting the mail sacks I provide what I term a basketmember including a basket-shaped body 66 the arms of which are loosely connected to a cross bar 67 in turn connected by rings 68 to a holding ring 69 the latter being provided on its inner surface with spring strips 70. The bar 67 is provided with a ring member 71 having secured thereon a plurality of loose rings 72. Chains are secured to the edges of the basket 66 and adapted when the mail sacks have been placed Within the basket to be engaged within the ring 72 to in effect close the upper end of the basket against the accidental displacement therefrom of the mail sacks.

In the use of the device the desired mail sacks for delivery from the train are placed in the basket 66 and the latter positioned inv the delivery device between the fingers 28 and 29 and beneath the spring strip 30. Mail bags to be picked up from the train or station device are placed in a similar basket and disposed between the fingers 52 and 53 beneath the spring strip 54. It will be noted that the pick-up devices and delivery devices of the train apparatus and station apparat-us are reversed, and when arranged in operative position the pick-up device of the train apparatus opens or faces in the direction in which the train is traveling while the delivery device opens or faces in the opposite direction, the pick-up device of the station apparatus facing in a direction reverse to that in which the train is traveling while the delivery device of the station apparatus opens in the direction of train travel. The operator within the car then projects the train apparatus on its guide-Ways until the pick-up and delivery devices are positioned beyond the door opening, the sleeve 8 having been adjusted longitudinally of the main rod 1 so that the pick-up and delivery device of the train apparatus are in alinement with the delivery and pick-up devices, respectively, of the station apparatus. As the car equipped with the delivery apparatus reaches the station apparatus the pickup device of the train apparatus will engage the ring 69 of the basket carried by the delivery evice of the train apparatus, carrying the same from beneath the spring strip 54: and into the ring 35 between the spring strips 37. A similar pick-up operation is effected by the pick-up of the station apparatus engaging the basket carried on the de livery device of the train apparatus. As the pick-up device of the train apparatus receives the basket the impact of the latter is cushioned by the springs 60 and further by the spring 38, the swing of the arm 34 under the influence of the impact being retarded from the basket While the parts are housed within the car.

Various parts of the structure are designed to be constructed of such material and in such sizes as will best adapt it for the purpose designed, the basket particularly being constructed of strong material and of a size capable of holding several mail sacks.

With the above apparatus it will be obvious that an effective delivery and pick-up, either or both can be made from a moving train without necessity of the operator exposing himself and in a way to absolutely insure certainty of operation and with little or no liability of breakage of parts.

In Fig. 9 I have shown a slightly modified form of basket including a basket shaped body 73 having a frame 74 Which is fixed to the body and extends above same as at 75. Chains 76 are connected to the frame 7! and adapted to engage hooks 77 secured to the upper edge of the basket proper when the mail is placed within the same to prevent accidental separation of the mail. A supporting frame 78 is movably connected to the frame 74 by connections 79 about on a line With the upper edge of the basket proper and is further connected to the frame 75 by straps 80 which prevent too much play of the basket frame with respect to the supporting frame. Above the basket frame the supporting frame is formed to provide two loops 81, 82 the former adapted to receive the member 54 of the receiving and delivery apparatus and the latter to receive the fingers of the arm 55. A cushioning spring 83 is arranged in the loop 82 as shown.

What is claimed is 1. A mail catcher and deliverer including a main rod adapted for movement transversely of a car, a supporting rod adjustable longitudinal thereof, a pickup device rotatablv carried by one end of said supporting rod and delivery device fixed to the opposite end of said rod.

2. A mail catcher and deliverer including a main rod mounted to travel transversely of the car, a supporting rod, means for adjustably supporting said supporting rod and said main rod, a delivery fixed to one end of the supporting rod and the pick-up device rotatably mounted on the opposite end of said rod.

3. A mail catcher and deliverer including a main rod mounted to travel transversely of the car, a supporting rod, means for adjustably supporting said supporting rod and said main rod, a delivery device fixed to one end of the supporting rod a pick-up device rotatably mounted on the opposite end of said rod and means for normally maintaining the pick-up device in operative pick-up position.

4. A mail catcher and deliverer including a main rod mounted to travel transversely of the car, a supporting rod, means for ad justably supporting said supporting rod and said main rod, a delivery device fixed to one end of the supporting rod, a pickup device rotatably mounted on the opposite end of said rod, and spring means for normally maintaining the pick-up device in pick-up position.

5. A mail catcher and deliverer including a main rod mounted to travel transversely of the car, a supporting rod, means for adjustably supporting said supporting rod and said main rod, a delivery device fixed. to one end of the supporting rod a pick-up device rotatably mounted on the opposite end of said rod, a means for normally maintaining the pick-up device in operative pickup position, said pick-up device including an arm rotatably mounted on the supporting rod, a ring-shaped receiving member carried by the arm and divergent guides projecting from the receiving member.

6. A mail catcher and deliverer including a main rod mounted to travel transversely of the car, a supporting rod, means for adjustably supporting said supporting rod and said main rod, a delivery device fixed to one end of the supporting rod, a pickup device rotatably mounted on the opposite end of said rod, means for normally maintaining the pickup device in operative pick-up position, said pick-up device including an arm rotatably mounted on the supporting rod, a ringshaped receiving member carried by the arm, divergent guides projecting from the receiving member and spring retaining strips secured to the guides.

7 A mail catcher and deliverer including a main rod mounted for movement transversely of a car, a sleeve encircling said rod, means for adjusting said sleeve longitudinally of the rod, means for locking the sleeve in adjusted position, a supporting rod carried by the sleeve in parallelism with the .main rod, a pick-up device rotatably mounted at one end of the supporting rod, and a delivery device fixed to the opposite end of the supporting rod.

8. A mail catcher and deliverer including a main rod mounted for movement transversely of a car, a sleeve encircling said rod, means for adjusting said sleeve longitudinally of the rod, means for locking the sleeve in adjusted position, a supporting rod carried by the sleeve in parallelism with the main rod, a pick-up device rot-atably mounted at one end of the supporting rod, a delivery device fixed to the opposite end of the supporting rod, said delivery device ineluding divergent fingers and a spring trip secured to the free terminal of one finger and nomally contacting with the free terminal of the other finger.

9. A mail catcher and deliverer including a main rod, tracks for guiding said rod in movement transversely of a car, a supporting rod, means for adjusting said supporting rod longitudinally of the main rod, a pickup device rotatably mounted at one end of the supporting rod and projecting at right angles thereto, a delivery device fixed at the opposite end of the supporting rod and projecting at right angles thereto, and a mail receiving basket to cooperate wit-h either the pick-up device or the delivery device.

10. A mail catcher and deliverer including a main rod, tracks for guiding said rod in movement transversely of a car, a supporting rod, means for adjusting said support-ing rod longitudinally of the main rod, a pickup device rotatably mounted at one end of the supporting rod and projecting at right angles thereto, a delivery device fixed at the opposite end of the supporting rod and pro jecting at right angles thereto, said pick-up device including a ring-shaped receiving member having divergent guides, spring strips secured to the free terminals of the guides and divergent respectively therefrom toward the ring, and a cushioning strip secured to the receiving surface of the ring member.

11. A mail receiving and delivery apparatus including a rotatably supported post, a supporting rod carried thereby, a delivery device secured to the upper end of the rod, a pick-up device rotatably mounted on the lower end of the rod and spring means to limit the rotating movement of said pick-up device and return it to normal position.

12. A mail receiving and delivery apparatus including a rotatably supported post, a

support-ing rod carried thereby, a delivery device secured to the upper end of the rod, a. pick-up device rotatably mounted on the lower end of the rod, spring means to limit the rotating movement of said pick-up device and return it to normal position and means for locking the post in inoperative position under the influence of the pick-up impact.

13. A pick-up device for mail catchers including a rotatably supported element, a ring-shaped member carried by one end thereof, guides diverging from the ringshaped member and fixed with relation thereto and spring strips terminally secured to the free ends of the guides and diverging respectively therefrom toward the ringshaped member whereby to provide a spring entrance to the ring-shaped member.

14. A delivery device for mail catchers including a fixed arm, a finger projecting in the plane of the arm and at right angles thereto, a second finger projecting at right angles to the first-mentioned finger at the juncture of the latter with the arm, and a spring strip secured to the terminal of one finger with its free end bearing upon the terminal of the other finger.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ALCIBIADES BROUSSARD.

Witnesses:

ROY O. YOUNG, P. H. DERPLEIX.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner 01 Batents, Washington, I). G. 

